What Clarissa Knew
by Bumblebee'sGuardian
Summary: For Hedgi. Set after the events of the finale and the Season 2 premiere. After the singularity is closed, Martin Stein discovers just how observant his wife is and how truly luck he is to have her in his life. Contains interventions for Martin, Caitlin, Cisco, and the Wests. Please enjoy!


**_A/N: So this came to me after watching the series premiere and the wonderfulness that is Victor Garber AKA Professor Martin Stein. The onscreen relationship he has with Isabella Hofmann AKA Clarissa Stein is, in my opinion, highly underwritten and under used in_** **The Flash** ** _so I decided to expand upon it and how important she would have been to Martin post-singularity. (HEADS UP, THERE WILL BE SPOILERS. IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE PRIEMERE, YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.)_**

 ** _Hedgi, this is for you and I hope you enjoy it._**

 ** _-BG_**

 ** _PS Reviews are chocolate for writers! Please share your thoughts!_**

* * *

After the singularity, Martin didn't break. He couldn't break. At least, he couldn't until he made it home. Clarissa, as always, was waiting at the door, looking incredibly concerned, especially as she saw his blank expression. She couldn't know what had happened, but she seemed to know anyway.

The moment he was in Clarissa's arms, Martin fell apart, crying into his wife's shoulders as he held him. In fact, she was the only thing holding him together. She didn't say a word, letting him cling to her and grieve. After what seemed like a century, he finally stopped, gathering himself back together for the briefest of moments. He had to tell her. He had to tell her everything.

They sat on the couch, Clarissa's hand in his own, as he explained everything that had happened from Barry trying to save his mother, to Eddie killing himself to save them all, to the wormhole they created, and finally, down to Ronald and himself separating inside the singularity in order to close it and the unknown fate that had befallen his bonded brother. Clarissa never said a word, just holding his hand and hugging him tightly as he broke down once again. She knew, only she really didn't know. She didn't know how empty he felt inside now.

The next few days were terrifying. The numbness never faded and he simply sat in his office, gazing at a blank chalkboard. Even his creative genius was numb as he couldn't even begin to calculate what it might take to try to find Ronald, to open another portal and bring the young man home, if he still lived.

Then there was the pizza.

Two days after the singularity, Clarissa brought him a pizza to try to cheer him up. He ended up crying in a ball on the floor, Clarissa holding him as he rocked back and forth. He had tried, really. First, he had forced a smile, knowing Clarissa was only trying to help. Somehow, the smell of the pizza was making his stomach churn, but he grabbed a slice and took a bite anyway. Then he broke down. It tasted so biter and tasteless in his mouth, the love he had developed for the rather greasy Italian food now gone with his brother. It brought a wave of emotions crashing down on his soul, memories of the many times he and Ronald had shared the formerly delightful cuisine. He had come to appreciate this particular trait he had inherited from the young man and now… Now it was gone. Just like Ronald was.

Clarissa knew. Somehow, she knew.

* * *

One day, something snapped inside Martin and he threw down his chalkboard, knocking over some of his papers and tossing a cloud of dust in the air. He'd stormed out of his office, heading for the door. If he couldn't find the answer to how to rescue Ronald here, he would find it at STAR Labs.

Clarissa had met him at the door, slamming the front door gently shut before he could open it even an inch. He had almost snapped at her before the look on his wife's face stopped him. It wasn't one of anger, or frustration. No. It was one of understanding and pity, but also firm resolve. She took his hands, guiding him back to the living room where he once again poured his heart out to her. His regret that he had survived and Ronald had not. That it had been his plan that had put Ronald in danger in the first place. That he had taken away Dr. Snow's husband such a short time after their wedding. That he couldn't figure out a way to find Ronald, if he was alive and bring him back home. That he couldn't fill the void inside that had been left by Ronald's absence. That he was so helpless to save his brother, even more so now than before. He was a genius for God's sake! He should have been able to do something!

Clarissa sat through it all, holding his hand and hugging him each time he broke down. She waited until he had called down a bit before saying anything to him, letting him have a moment to breathe. Then she told him.

Clarissa told him it wasn't his fault. That Ronald had always been a hero. That he had already been willing to sacrifice his life for others once before on the day of the particle accelerator explosion. That it had been his decision for them to try to close the singularity. That Ronald had chosen to take a chance in order to save the city, and probably the whole world, from destruction. That he had been willing to sacrifice himself once again to protect people, to protect Dr. Snow, the woman he loved. That Ronald had joined with Martin willingly and without fear to do what they both knew had to be done. That someday, somehow, Martin would find Ronald again. Somehow, they would get Ronald back and until then, Martin would have to hold on for the both of them.

Martin just sat there, listening to Clarissa. It was if a weight had suddenly been lifted off his shoulders. Yes, his heart was still heavy, but the burden, the fear of having led his brother to his apparent demise, was no longer as consuming as it had once been.

That night, they both had pizza and a beer, even if the former still tasted bitter to the professor. It didn't matter though. He wasn't doing it for himself. No. He was doing it for Ronald. He wouldn't waste his time on regrets. He would live. He would live for Ronald.

Clarissa knew. Somehow, she knew.

* * *

Two weeks after the singularity, Clarissa ran into Dr. Snow at the grocery store. The young widow looked as though she'd been crying every minute since Ronald had disappeared and Clarissa had immediately offered for her to join them for dinner. After much protest on the doctor's part, she had conceded to coming over "just for a short visit." The short visit had turned into them all having dinner and dessert together, but not at first.

The young doctor, though initially hesitant about the visit had melted the moment she had entered the house, her resolve failing the instant Clarissa had welcomed her to their home, giving the young woman a hug. Clarissa merely held onto the young woman as they sank to the floor, Dr. Snow's feet crumpling underneath her. Clarissa looked to Martin who joined the hug without hesitation. Afterward, the young woman had been beyond embarrassed for her breakdown, but the Stein's hadn't judged her, telling her that it was ok. They'd all sat down for tea, the three of them talking about anything but Ronald at first. Then Clarissa had suggested Dr. Snow join them for dinner. It was seven in the evening already and it wouldn't make sense for the young woman not to join them for the pot roast Clarissa had been cooking. This time, Dr. Snow didn't hesitate to accept, the dinner conversation slowly delving into tales of Dr. Snow and Ronald's adventures in dating and some of Martin and Ronald's misadventures in practicing their powers. There were some tears of course, because of course they all still grieved for Ronald, but most of their tears were out of laughter rather than pain. They were for the memories they held of a remarkable young man that had made a difference in each of their lives.

When dinner was over and they'd all had a slice of blueberry pie, Caitlin had left. Yes, Martin felt comfortable calling his brother's wife by her first name, the two having now bonded not just over their caring for Ronald, but through their grief. The young woman had left around 11, looking much better than she had when she'd come through the front door. She even promised to have them over soon and suggested they make having dinner together once a week a regular thing. Clarissa and Martin had agreed immediately and waved the young doctor off. When Clarissa and Martin were doing the dishes, he had turned to her, asking if she'd know that that had been exactly what Caitlin had needed to begin mending the newly torn hole in her life. Clarissa had just smiled and reminded him not to put the good china in the dishwasher. Martin, despite his wife's avoidance of the question, smiled to himself.

Clarissa knew. Somehow, she knew.

* * *

A month after the singularity, Martin ran into Cisco when he swung by Cali's to pick up pizza for what had become his and Clarissa's traditional Friday night dinner. The young man had been walking in to place his order when Martin had been walking out, Cisco immediately greeting the professor on sight, but not as warmly as the professor had always remembered. Instantly, Martin decided to ask Cisco to join him and Clarissa for dinner, the young man protesting at first, but finally accepting after Martin had pleaded with the young man to rescue him from the movie Clarissa had planned for them to watch tonight, a rather droll romance movie, or "rom-com" as the kids apparently called it these days, called _Sleepless in Seattle_. Martin had never been one for romantic movies, but since Clarissa had begun forcing him to have movie nights, they would trade off who would pick the movie. Sadly, Martin was more interested in biographical films and science documentaries while Clarissa enjoyed a good romance movie or comedy. Maybe Cisco could rescue him from the sloppy kiss scenes tonight…

The moment Clarissa opened the door and saw Cisco standing next to Martin, she gave her husband a look and stole the pizza from him, inviting Cisco to come in and help them pick out a movie for the night. Remarkably, Cisco managed to find a film that even Martin managed to enjoy called _Annie_ , which was a story of family, love and finding true happiness, something Martin could understand all too well. While apparently there had been many versions of this musical movie, Cisco picked a version that had come out in 1999, stating that not only was it the version he had grown up seeing as a kid, but that "the guy who plays Oliver Warbucks in here kind of reminds me of you, as in, you two could be twins." In the end, Martin had had to agree with the young scientist's assessment and Clarissa had even teased him about contacting the actor and asking if he could do work as the man's double, much to Cisco's amusement and Martin's embarrassment. All in all, it had been a thoroughly enjoyable night and he and Cisco had even suck off to Martin's office for a couple of hours afterwards and swapped ideas for trying to find Ronald, some of which were highly plausible.

Later, after Cisco had left, Clarissa had slapped him lightly on the shoulder, promising to make him watch _Sleepless in Seattle_ with her next movie night. Martin had merely smiled, still pleased with how the night had turned out in the end. It had been his idea, yes, but Clarissa had helped to make it better just by welcoming Cisco into their home.

Clarissa knew. Somehow, she knew.

* * *

The next time, it was Joe and Iris they ran into, nearly three months after the singularity. Clarissa had convinced Martin to join her in attending the reopening of the Central City Science Museum, which, according to some reports, had mysteriously been repaired over the course of a few days by a red streak in the night. They'd been walking through the physics exhibit when Martin had almost run straight into Iris who was dragging her dad along behind her. She apparently had spotted them from across the room and immediately wanted to say hello, not to mention pick Martin's brain about some of the particular physics surrounding the exhibits for the article she was writing for Picture News. Martin had been all too happy to help, finding himself often going off on various tangents, which seemed to amuse the reporter to no end.

"Barry does it all the time," she said when Martin had apologized after realizing he had been going on for the past twenty minutes about the science behind the FIRESTORM project without her having even asked. A sad look crossed her eyes for a moment and Martin thought about asking how Barry was, only for the reporter to be distracted by another exhibit that had caught her eyes and his question was almost forgotten as he launched into another discussion of the physics of a tornado. Almost.

It wasn't until after the duo had made their way through every exhibit that Martin finally managed to blurt out the question, immediately wishing he hadn't as he watched the young woman's face fall. She'd managed to hold herself together long enough to suggest they go somewhere more private before she discussed Barry. Martin instinctively agreed, leading her off to one of the museum's largely empty cafés. They took a seat at a table and Iris almost immediately began pouring her heart out to Martin.

Barry wasn't doing very well at all apparently, the young man barely speaking to her and Joe much less anyone else. He spent his days working crime scenes and stopping crime and his nights rebuilding the city and stopping more crime. He had closed himself off from everyone, not even allowing them to come help him at STAR Labs which apparently had been willed to him by Eobard Thawne himself on the occasion of his death. Not that Barry cared at all.

Martin listened intently as Iris vented, waiting until she had said her piece before asking how she and her father were doing. Iris had faltered at this, hesitating to even look Martin in the eye. Then the waterworks came and Martin found himself gently hugging the young woman as she told him all about life since Detective Thawne had died. She'd moved back in with Joe only a few days after the singularity, the apartment she had been sharing with Detective Thawne now holding too many memories and too much grief for her. Her dad had been disturbingly quiet for the first month, rarely speaking and barely ever smiling. He had taken Detective Thawne's death just as hard. Iris added that her father had barely gotten over losing his first partner before losing Eddie, all in the span of less than two years. They only had talked about him when they had to between the police reports they filed for Detective Thawne's death and the funeral arrangements that they had helped arrange with Detective Thawne's mother. Eventually, Iris admitted, she and her dad had both sat down with each other and had a good long cry over Detective Thawne's death. Things had been better after that and the two of them had kept each other going, both finding different ways to keep their mind off their grief. Iris admitted that she still sometimes found herself crying in her sleep, but that she, like Martin himself, was slowly healing.

Then she asked him about Ronald and how the professor was coping with his own loss.

Martin started to deflect the question before realizing, he didn't really have a good reason to anymore. He was healing too over the loss of his brother. So he told her about everything that had happened, how Clarissa had been his rock, helping him through the void in his life and helping him come to terms with his grief. It wasn't until he was telling Iris about the movie night with Cisco and the latest dinner with Caitlin that he realized the museum was five minutes away from closing.

Martin followed Iris to the front of the building where they found Clarissa and Joe waiting for them, the two smiling as Martin and Iris walked up to them. Despite Martin's suggestion that they all go get ice cream at the shop down the street, the Wests declined, Iris stating that she needed to get a head start on her article while Joe had an early shift in the morning. They parted in the parking lot, Iris giving Martin and Clarissa a quick hug goodbye before they left. Joe merely gave Clarissa hug, thanking her, before he turned to Martin and shook his hand. It wasn't until the Stein's were almost home when a thought dawned on him.

"You knew the Wests were going to be there tonight, didn't you?" Martin said to Clarissa, watching a faint smirk cross his wife's lips.

"I met Detective West a few days ago outside the auto repair shop when I went to go have the oil changed. He was there having his brakes realigned and we got to chatting while we were in the waiting room. I mentioned our plans to go to the reopening of the museum and he mentioned planning to go with his daughter so I suggested that we meet up there so you and Iris could talk."

"You planned that?" said Martin, still astonished by his wife's abilities. Her perceptiveness was uncanny sometimes.

"Well, the detective and I did. We thought it would be good for the two of you to talk things out," said Clarissa as they pulled into their driveway.

"And?" said Martin, shutting off the car.

"And we were right. Besides, I rather think you both enjoyed your science discussion and I was able to have a nice chat with Detective West. The poor man is almost as bad as you are at holding things in," said Clarissa. She stepped out of the car and Martin followed her up to the house, his wife looking entirely too pleased with herself.

"So, you're saying, you arranged all of this? All these interventions?" said Martin, "Caitlin, Cisco, the Wests? Is Mr. Allen next on your list?"

Clarissa smiled softly. "You brought Cisco hope if I remember correctly, but yes. As for Mr. Allen, he is proving to be quite elusive. So yes he is next on my list. If I can catch him. The boy has buried himself in his work to handle the guilt he feels."

Martin nodded. "I had the same understanding from my discussion with Iris about him as well."

"Then perhaps it should be his friends who intervene," said Clarissa, "Not me." Martin started to protest only for Clarissa to give him a gentle look that silenced his words in his throat. "Martin, you know that it's going to take more than dinner plans, movie nights and museum visits to help, Mr. Allen. He's going to need all of you in the end."

Martin didn't question his wife further, merely giving her a kiss as they entered the house. "Thank you. I don't deserve a wonderful woman like you in my life."

Clarissa smiled. "Martin, you and I know, that I'm exactly what you deserve."

Martin smiled back, shutting the door behind him before pulling his wife into a hug. He had married a miracle worker, of that he was certain. And he knew how lucky he was to have her as his wife.

Because Clarissa knew. Somehow, she knew. And she always would.


End file.
